Edmund Rice Ministries Foundation,Philippines,Inc

Calling all dear Batohanons of Bato, Leyte, Philippines and Friends:

Let us remember that caring for the poor, protecting creation, and helping children are acts of love and faith.

As we plant mangroves and support the Sama Bajau community, we are also planting hope for future generations. Every small act of kindness can create lasting change in the lives of others.
May we continue to work together with compassion, unity, and generosity for our communities and our environment.

Live Jesus in our hearts… forever. Amen.
Inspired by the life and mission of Blessed Edmund Rice

📍 May 25, 2026
Sama Bajau and ERMFPI Kamustahan at Balay Lungsod, Bato, Leyte

A successful and meaningful “Kamustahan” conference between the Sama Bajau community of Dolho and Edmund Rice Ministry Foundation Philippines Inc. (ERMFPI) was held at the Balay Lungsod avenue freely provided by the Municipality of Bato.

Facilitated by former ERMFPI employee and renowned advocate Josefa Pizon, the activity focused on
✅ Simple recording and documentation
✅ Financial management and financial analysis
✅ Livelihood opportunities provided by ERMFPI
✅ Mangrove livelihood promotion updates
✅ SDG 9 & 10 promotion
✅ Partnership and collaboration strengthening
✅ Mangroves Bato Municipal-Wide Fundraising and Educational Support Drives

The gathering reflects the continuing mission of ERMFPI in empowering the Sama Bajau community through sustainable livelihood, education, inclusion, and community development.

“Blessed Edmund Rice always drives for sustainable livelihood and inclusive opportunities for left-behind communities.”

Contributed Article
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙙, 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙙 –
𝘽𝙮 𝙈𝙞𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙮𝙖, 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙈𝙖 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙮𝙖.

In the Sama Bajau community in Dolho, Bato, Leyte, five social work student-trainees from the Southern Leyte State University-Maasin City Campus, in partnership with the Edmund Rice Ministries Foundation Philippines, Inc., Maasin City, were immersed in a transformative experiential learning journey, bridging the gaps between theoretical knowledge and the people’s lived realities.
From February 9 to May 15, 2026, the social work student-trainees were actively involved in various community-centered activities. These included family immersion, household survey, presentation and validation of survey results, community development planning, and activity implementation. In between these guided undertakings were random but meaningful interactions with every cranny of the community.
Venturing under stilt houses; sitting on bamboo benches; joining in outdoor games; and sharing a plate with the people. The students not only conversed with the children, youth, adults, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities – they lived with them.
They struggled with differences in the native language but they reached mutual understanding by speaking the language of natural human connection: empathy, genuine listening, suspended judgment, and trust in the people’s strengths and capacities.
Every word spoken and every sigh expressed defined the realities that the community people perceived, observed, felt, and experienced. These are reflected in the social, health, economic, political, spiritual, cultural, environmental aspects of life and living which they continue to navigate.
The people’s voluntary participation both in spontaneous conversations and guided activities shed light on the community issues, challenges, and concerns. Their awareness of such conditions shaped the realization of their internal capacities and resources and signified the fundamental essence of community development:
“Dapat sa taw pud mismo magsugod unsaon pagpalambo ang community aron maimpluwensiyahan ang uban. (It must start with ourselves how we can develop the community so that we can also influence others.)” - A collective statement of the Sama Bajau.
The community-based practicum formed part of the social work student-trainees’ curriculum requirements through which they applied and strengthened social work values, principles, attitudes, skills, and knowledge. More importantly, however, their direct engagement with the Sama Bajau has equipped them with knowledge beyond what daily time record calculates and written outputs contain, emphasizing that community immersion is not merely a scheduled academic activity, it is a raw and meaningful process of learning from people who continuously live their realities within the community.
The experiential learning journey provided the student-trainees an avenue to leverage theoretical knowledge and fathom it in the context of living with the people – engaging both the mind and heart in learning the realities within the community and advocating genuine community development: by the people and for the people.

May 5, 2026 — Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice Philippines

Two places.
One mission.
One spirit.

In Maasin City, we give back—lifting lives through the Building an Inclusive Resilient Community project.
In Cebu, we build discipline and vision—through financial literacy and entrepreneurship under the SPACERS Project.

Different paths…
but moving as ONE.

Yet beyond the celebration, a deeper question rises:

Where do we do now, Blessed Edmund?

Are we still giving…
or are we already transforming lives?

Are we leading communities…
or raising leaders from within them?

Are we building projects…
or shaping a legacy that will stand without us?

Today is not just a remembrance.
It is a reckoning.

We are called—
not to remain where we are,
but to rise higher, go further, and serve deeper.

From inclusion to empowerment.
From service to transformation.
From mission… to movement.

Blessed Edmund Rice, guide us—
not only in what we do…
but in what we must become.